The Thin Red Line Review
by Craig Roush (kinnopio AT execpc DOT com)January 17th, 1999
THE THIN RED LINE
*** 1/2 (out of 4) - a great movie
Release Date: January 15, 1999
Starring: Sean Penn, Adrien Brody, James Caviezel, Ben Chaplin, Elias Koteas, Nick Nolte, John Cusack, Woody Harrelson, John Travolta, George Clooney
Directed by: Terrence Malick
Distributed by: 20th Century Fox Film Corp.
MPAA Rating: R (prolonged sequences of war violence, strong language) URL: http://www.execpc.com/~kinnopio/reviews/1999/thinredline.htm
James Jones, one of the major novelists from the middle of the twentieth century, has written a number of fictional works about the effects of war on the individual. A veteran of World War II, and a witness to the Pearl Harbor bombings, his novels are not only grounded in realism but poetic in nature. They are reminiscent of Stephen Crane in their blunt eloquence, a trait which lends itself to razor-sharp focus. But perhaps none matches the scope of his autobiographical novel, THE THIN RED LINE; now a cinematic masterpiece from director Terrence Malick.
The book's principal cast, some thirty characters, has been trimmed down for this rendition, but it still retains its most endearing value. Each of the roles has an everyman quality, emphasizing Jones' examination of World War II on the American soldier. There's a definitive chain of command present, and this also plays on the motivations of the cast. But most importantly, and perhaps intrinsic to the novel but not to the movie, a dynamic and effective voice-over is used. Malick has several characters relating their thoughts, giving the viewer a greater perspective of the issues at stake.
The issues at stake are many and one. Told from a limited third-person perspective (as opposed to a top-down, omniscient view), the movie entails the struggle of an American infantry company ("C-for-Charlie") to take a hill during the conflict at Guadalcanal. The South Pacific island is seen by the top brass as the key position for American armed forces to hold if they want to win the war.
And want to win the war they do. In an excellent performance, Nick Nolte plays C-for-Charlie's commanding officer, Lt. Col. Gordon Tall. He's an aging soldier who embodies the win-at-all-costs mentality, if only to impress his superior (John Travolta, in a questionable cameo). This philosophy is opposite that of Captain Bugger Staros (Elias Koteas), who dearly values the life of each and every one of the men under his command. At the front are the privates and corporals (Adrien Brody, James Caviezel, Ben Chaplin, et al), lead by 1st Sgt. Welsh (Sean Penn), who must actually execute the suicide orders handed down to them.
THE THIN RED LINE is filled with intense, visual poetry, but it's nearly three hours long. Although the interest level is high throughout the first two hours, the climax comes forty-five minutes before the end of the movie; it goes without saying that the movie drags on the back end.
THE THIN RED LINE will doubtless be compared to 1998's other masterpiece of war, SAVING PRIVATE RYAN a countless number of times. But to do so is to belittle both films, for although similarities abound, so do differences. Director Malick has a story to tell, and for those interested in listening, this can be a very outstanding movie.
all contents (c) 1999 Craig Roush
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Craig Roush
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Kinnopio's Movie Reviews
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